Last month's decline, to $347.7 billion, was the steepest in five months and followed an increase of 1.1 percent in December. The rise excluding automobiles, to $268.5 billion, was the biggest since October.

Sales of cars and light trucks fell last month as automakers pared incentives. Other spending received a boost from an increase in the number of working Americans. As of January, employment had bounced back enough to exceed the prerecession levels.

Retail sales account for almost half of all consumer spending, which in turn accounts for about two-thirds of the economy.